Well, I'm primarily a traditional shooter, but since I will be hunting public land this fall, I decided to break out my compound. I've been practicing out to 50 yards, and if I can find a couple more pins, I'll push that out to 60 or 70. My goal is to be able to take a deer at 50 yards this fall. What's the farthest that you've taken a deer with a bow?

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The secret to a long life is to try not to shorten it

At 53 yards I shot at a buck two seasons ago. I spent the summer practicing consistently out to 70-80 and for kicks occasionally out to 130. 53 yards on a target was a chip shot with a single pin sight set up. I felt good about the shot, the buck was oblivious to my presence before the shot, but when the arrow impacted the buck had dropped and it hit him in the spine. He dropped in his tracks. I immediately followed up with another shot that obliterated his heart and lungs. Quickest recovery to date.

I was lucky it worked out and have a 13 point buck on the wall that wouldn't be there had I passed on the shot...

The more likely outcome should have been a flesh wound or non vitals hit causing an unrecovered deer. Glad I lucked out once, but I don't think I'll tempt fate like that again.

I will be hunting public land this fall. My goal is to be able to take a deer at 50 yards this fall. What's the farthest that you've taken a deer with a bow?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, are you or will you be hunting in a lot of open terrain?I mean, there is a lot of public ground on the east side of Texas where a 50 yd shot would be impossible, much less to even see a deer that far out.The way I set up, my average shot is 18 yds. My longest shot on a deer is around 21 yds. My closest is 5 yds. I like my shots short and sweet!!!

I will be hunting public land this fall. My goal is to be able to take a deer at 50 yards this fall. What's the farthest that you've taken a deer with a bow?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, are you or will you be hunting in a lot of open terrain?I mean, there is a lot of public ground on the east side of Texas where a 50 yd shot would be impossible, much less to even see a deer that far out.The way I set up, my average shot is 18 yds. My longest shot on a deer is around 21 yds. My closest is 5 yds. I like my shots short and sweet!!!

San Angelo.. not east Texas. Definitely possible to see game that far. I passed a 40 yard shot on a nice buck last season. I'm not making the same mistake twice.

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The secret to a long life is to try not to shorten it

I will be hunting public land this fall. My goal is to be able to take a deer at 50 yards this fall. What's the farthest that you've taken a deer with a bow?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, are you or will you be hunting in a lot of open terrain?I mean, there is a lot of public ground on the east side of Texas where a 50 yd shot would be impossible, much less to even see a deer that far out.The way I set up, my average shot is 18 yds. My longest shot on a deer is around 21 yds. My closest is 5 yds. I like my shots short and sweet!!!

San Angelo.. not east Texas.

Ok, but why not put the time in and study the area you're going to hunt and make your sets for a closer shot. A lot can happen/change from zero to 50 in a blink of an eye.Just sayin!!!

I will be hunting public land this fall. My goal is to be able to take a deer at 50 yards this fall. What's the farthest that you've taken a deer with a bow?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, are you or will you be hunting in a lot of open terrain?I mean, there is a lot of public ground on the east side of Texas where a 50 yd shot would be impossible, much less to even see a deer that far out.The way I set up, my average shot is 18 yds. My longest shot on a deer is around 21 yds. My closest is 5 yds. I like my shots short and sweet!!!

San Angelo.. not east Texas.

Ok, but why not put the time in and study the area you're going to hunt and make your sets for a closer shot. A lot can happen/change from zero to 50 in a blink of an eye.Just sayin!!!

Why limit yourself? Of course I prefer a closer shot, but why not be competent enough to shoot a deer at 40 yards if the need arises? The whole point of shooting a compound is the added distance. If I want to limit my shots to 20 yards and less, I'll shoot my recurve.

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The secret to a long life is to try not to shorten it

I'm not sayin at all you can't do it. I know people who can 12 ring a target all day long at 60, 70 yds.BUT, they won't take a shot on a deer at that distance and most of them won't pass 30 because they know, at a live target, anything can happen, causing a shot that far to go south pretty quick.What I am saying, you cannot predict what that deer at 50 yds is going to do. Lets say you are at full draw. Deer is 50 yards out. He's relaxed and feeding. You release your arrow and at the very same time, the deer takes a step. Where do you think the arrow is going to hit?

Texas whitetail are just too fast to be taking that long of a shot. Not saying it won't work occasionally but more times than not you won't hit where you were aiming. My two longest whitetail kills were at about 32 and 35 yards and both ducked and got spined. I feel like much farther and there is no telling where I would have hit.

Since y'all like to keep it close, I suggest you try traditional. At least then there is a challenge.

The challenge is being able to get set up so close and undetected by a deer and then killing it.If you want some long range shots, try a rifle. I hear they work pretty darn good!!!

Exactly, the challenge is in being close, getting drawn and being undetected. It's not in if I can make an ethical clean kill. I try to eliminate that part. I'm very comfortable shooting 4 inch groups at sixty yards all day. And if one of those Red Deer shows up at sixty yards while I'm on stand this year, there's a good chance I will take the shot. But not a chance Im taking that shot on a whitetail.